In a bid to empower women in rural communities within the FCT, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) and ActionAid, Wednesday, commenced the training of rural women on Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) model.
Speaking at the training for 40 rural women, the CITAD Programme Officer, Yesmin Salako, explained.that the VSLA model is designed to help women access financial resources without traditional banking obstacles.
She said: “The purpose of this training is to create capabilities on 40 rural women on how to save. Village Saving and Loans Associations is a very strong system of saving funds. We have identified people who have speedy demand for these training and most of them have been empowered with different skills such as soap-making, how to farm in a better way, ICT and so on.
“Some have started doing several businesses, but we want to see how we can also strengthen the system where they can have local means of saving. It is good because they will have a source of livelihood and contribute their quotas to the growth of their families. An empowered woman is a pride of her family as she will be able to provide for the family without overly depending on the husband for everything.”
Also speaking, the Advisor for Partnership & Local Rights Programme, ActionAid, Hajara Opaluwu Adamu, said the goal of the training is to help women to them track loans, manage social funds and potentially form cooperatives for easier loan access from the government.
She said: “This training is for our rural community women on village savings and loans. For over 15 years, we’ve been working in these communities, and accessing loans has been challenging for women. In our society, women often lack collateral, which banks require. VSLA allows women to pool money together and access funds collectively without those obstacles.
“VSLA is a way for women to come together, pool resources, and access funds that otherwise might be out of reach. Collateral requirements have always been a barrier for women, and this approach removes that challenge.
“The training also emphasizes record-keeping within VSLA groups. Only one out of more than 20 communities currently has formalized record-keeping, like passbooks. Others contribute but without structure. Our goal is to improve these practices to help them track loans, manage social funds, and potentially form cooperatives for easier loan access from the government.
“Some people have already started these savings practices in their communities, but we encourage structured record-keeping. Out of more than 20 communities, only one uses passbooks, and the rest lack structured contributions. ActionAid aims to help all communities reach that level and keep good records, so they can ultimately access larger funds.
“I feel most of the time, especially in our contemporary Nigeria, women are left behind. There should be a way government can reduce collateral requirements for women in terms of loan access. We live in a society where men dominate the financial landscape. Lowering collateral demands would empower women economically.”
She added: “We’re not fighting for leadership with men, but advocating for a gender-responsible community where everyone plays their part. A woman is first a human before being a woman and deserves to be part of decision-making. Each person has a role in the community; leaving women out means missing out on a balanced community.
“If a woman lacks income, it can limit her role in family decisions. More income gives them a stronger voice in the family and community, allowing them to contribute more meaningfully.
“We have manuals that guide women on family planning, covering various aspects of their lives. Today, some women shared how they’ve used this information to invest in their children’s education and manage birth rates in their communities.”
Through this VSLA training, ActionAid and CITAD aim to empower these women, providing tools to become economically independent and active participants in their communities.
